Space-based desktops have a special place in my heart, and this shot of space shuttle Endeavour shadowed by the Earth below it is a great one. Flickr user Michael Farquhar used this photo as the bedrock for his customized Ubuntu desktop. It's gorgeous when you sit down, not at all distracting when it's time to work, and well-placed widgets keep informative data around the sides of the screen.

We've been itching for more Linux desktops for our featured desktop series, so this is a welcome addition. Want the same look for your Ubuntu system? Here's what you'll need:

Conky, a lightweight system monitor for Linux systems, for the analog and digital clocks, the system information, and to pull in the to-do list

The Cornet Conky theme for the two system monitoring widgets on the upper and lower right side of the screen (and the clock removed.)

Michael's running Ubuntu with Gnome Shell 3.4, for anyone interested in giving this a shot. He's customized a number of the elements so they fit just right, so if you're having trouble figuring out what he's done, drop by his Flickr page to ask him how he made it all work—and don't forget to let him know how much you liked the end result!

Whether your goal is to make your desktop look beautiful or you want an information-rich desktop…
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So, do you have a gorgeous, productive, informative desktop you'd like to see featured at Lifehacker? Post it to the Lifehacker Desktop Show and Tell Flickr Group, and please include a description of how you made it. You never know, it may be the next featured desktop!